CM Yogi recommends CBI probe into Deoria shelter home case

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has recommended CBI probe into the alleged sexual abuse and mistreatment of minor girls in a shelter home in Deoria district.

The UP government also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to make sure that no evidence is tampered in the case.

Talking to the reporters, CM Yogi said, “To make things crystal clear, we have decided that the entire incident will be handed over to the CBI. To ensure there is no tampering of evidences, a SIT has been constituted under ADG crime, which will also have women police officers (SP, EOW and SP-Police Training School, Meerut). They will be assisted by STF.”

Under attack of the opposition parties, the chief minister said that his government had ordered to shut down the shelter home in 2017 right after taking power in the state when it came across the irregularities in the finace of the shelter home.

“CBI had said in 2015-16 that there were financial irregularities there. Hence, we ordered the closure of the shelter home in June 2017 after coming to power,” said Yogi.

The CM blamed the district administration for delay in action against the shelter home.

“District administration did not act on time. It was the reason why we had to transfer him and a chargesheet will be filed against him today,” the CM said.

CM Yogi also criticised the previous government in the state (Samajwadi Party government) saying, “The shelter home was opened in 2009 and there had been reports of wrongdoings there. But unfortunately, the previous governments did not take any action into the matter.”

Earlier on Sunday last, the Deoria police raided a shelter home here on Sunday and rescued 24 girls. Police also arrested a couple who were managers at the shelter home.

Police came into action after a girl from the shelter home managed to escape and narrated the condition of children residing in it.

Girl told police that they were treated like servants inside the shelter home.

Taking swift action into the matter, the UP government transferred Deoria District Magistrate Sujit Kumar. It may be mentioned that the state government had asked to shut down the shelter home a year ago but the DM did not take any action.

Addressing the media, Superintendent of Police, Rohan P Kanay had said, “Government had cancelled affiliation of child shelter home, girl shelter home and reformation home run by Ma Vindhyavasini Women training and Social Service society. Even then girls, children and women were staying their illegally.”

He further informed that the institution’s director Girija Tripathi and her husband have been arrested.

UP CM has also ordered to form a probe committee of Additional Chief Secretary Women’s Welfare Renuka Kumar and Additional DGP (Women’s Helpline) Anju Gupta.

Deoria District Probation Officer (DPO) Abhishek Pandey has also been suspended and action has also been initiated against former DPOs Neeraj Kumar and Anoop Singh.

In a similar incident, employees of a shelter home in Muzaffarpur district in Bihar were arrested last month for allegedly sexually harassing the girls there.

On receiving information, the police raided the vicinity and rescued 44 girls.